Godsdienstwetenschap
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- onderzoeksthema's - onderwijs - lidmaatschappen - publicaties - voordrachten - tekst |
Science of Religion
Contents
- research topics - courses - professional organizations - publications - papers - text |
Onderzoeksthema's / Research topics
Click here to edit.
|
Nieuwe Religieuze Bewegingen (vooral in Nederland)
Holistische spiritualiteit Alternatieve geneeswijzen |
New Religious Movements (especially in the Netherlands)
Holistic spirituality Alternative Medecine |
Onderwijs / Courses
2023
- 7 maart, 14.00 -16.00 uur, Heerlen, parochiehuis Nieuwenhagen, lezing over De denker des Vaderlands, Paul van Tongeren, voor De Drie Ringen
Actueel onderwijs (tot 2018) / Current courses (until 2018)
Nieuwe Religieuze Bewegingen
Religies en cultuur (populaire cultuur, muziek)
Inleiding wereldreligies
Hedendaagse cultuur en spiritualiteit
Filosofie in Azië (confucianisme, daoisme, islamitische filosofie)
Religies en cultuur (populaire cultuur, muziek)
Inleiding wereldreligies
Hedendaagse cultuur en spiritualiteit
Filosofie in Azië (confucianisme, daoisme, islamitische filosofie)
Lidmaatschappen / professional organizations
Nederlands Genootschap voor Godsdienstwetenschap (NGG)
European Association for the Study of Religion (EASR)
European Association of Social Anthropology (EASA)
International Association for the History of Religion (IAHR)
NOSTER (Dutch Organization for the Study of Theology and Science of Religion)
European Association for the Study of Religion (EASR)
European Association of Social Anthropology (EASA)
International Association for the History of Religion (IAHR)
NOSTER (Dutch Organization for the Study of Theology and Science of Religion)
Publicaties / publications
w = wetenschappelijk / scientific
v = vakpublicatie / professional
p = populair
v = vakpublicatie / professional
p = populair
2019
(w) met Riky de Jong, Een religieuze vrije val in Venray: Het verdwijnen van kloosterlingen tussen 1965 en 2005, in Religie en Samenleving 14 (2019), 54-77.
2018
(w) with Karin van Nieuwkerk en Paul van der Velde (eds.), Enjoying Religion: Pleasure and Gun in Established and New Religious Movements, Lanham/New York: Lexington, 200 pages.
(w) Introduction, in Enjoying Religion etc., vii-xxiii.
(w) Happinez, Zen, and Wealth, in Enjoying Religion etc., 127-146.
2016
(w) Barmhartigheid in het publieke domein onder druk, in Tijdschrift voor Religie, Recht en Beleid 7/3, 72-80.
2014
(w) With E. Hense and P. Nissen (eds.), Present-day Spiritualities: contrasts and overlaps, Leiden/Boston: Brill (Studies in Theology and Religion 18).
(w) 'Explorations in the border region of religious and secular spiritualities from the perspective of religious studies', in Hense, Jespers & Nissen (eds.), Present-day Spiritualities, 197-218.
(w) 'Epilogue: some remarkable overlaps in the study of present-day spiritualities', in Hense, Jespers & Nissen (eds.), Present-day Spiritualities,219-223.
2013
(w) 'From New Age to new spiritualities: secular sacralizations on the borders of religion', in S.J. Sutcliffe and InS. Gilhus (eds.), New Age Spirituality: rethinking religion, Durham: Acumen, 197-211.
(w) 'Nieuwe spiritualiteiten: wel netwerken, maar steeds minder religie', in Religie en Samenleving 8/1, 238-258.
(w) 'Inspelen op nieuwe spirirutaliteiten', in K. de Groot, J. Pieper en W. Putman (red.), Zelf zorgen voor de ziel: de actualiteit van christelijke spirituele centra, Almere: Parthenon, 119-134.
2012
(w) 'Qualifying Secular Sacralizations' (with D. Kleijbeuker and Y. Schattevoet), in Implicit Religion 15/4, 533-552.
(w) 'Astro TV in Holland: Spirituality, power and gender, in Studia Religiologica 45/2, 93-108.
2011
(p) 'Door de bril van de godsdienstwetenschap', in Speling, Tijdschrift voor bezinning, 63/1, 17-23.
(w) 'Investigating Western popular spirituality', in E. Hense and F. Maas (eds.), Towards a Theory of Spirituality, Leuven: Peeters, pp. 97-111.
(w) 'The scientific study of religious and secular spiritualities', in Journal of Religion in Europe, 5/2, p. 328-354.
2010
'The paranormal market in the Netherlands: New Age and Folk Religion', in Fieldwork in Religion 5/2, p. 58-77.
2009
(w) Nieuwe religiositeit in Nederland: gevalstudies en beschouwingen over alternatieve religieuze activiteiten, Budel: Damon, 256 blz. (redactie, inleiding en een hoofdstuk:
'Verkenningen en bevindingen over nieuwe religiositeit in Nederland', blz. 9-40, en 'Holistische spiritualiteit achter Astro TV en Chinese geneeswijzen', blz. 185-212).
'De levensspiritualiteit in "Eindeloos bewustzijn"', in B. Voorsluis (red.), Filosoferen over Eindeloos bewustzijn, Kampen: Ten Have, blz. 38-54.
2008
Hier klikken om te bewerken.
Voordrachten / congress papers
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
22 oktober, NGG Soesterberg: Feminine Authority in Holistic Spirituality
26 augustus, EASA Maynooth: Astro TV in Holland: Spriituality, Power, and Gender
2009
Godsdienstwetenschap / Science of Religion
[lecture Maynooth 26-08-2010]
Astro TV in Holland: Spirituality, Power, and Gender
1. Introduction
In the Netherlands, every day a television show, called Astro TV, presents two hours of short divinations. The hosts and clients will call this an expression of spirituality, certainly not a religion. It appears as an innocent, commercial service for people with problems, and as an entertainment for the viewers. Thus, the power relations seem to be primarily economic. Next, the gender aspect of this television show seems to be quite feminine, because about three quarters of providers and clients are women. In my paper, I would like to clarify the power and gender questions with the help of two theories from sociology. In my next section, I present some observations on the show and the firm. Next, I go into the power aspect, and after that to the gender aspect. Finally, I come to some conclusions.
2. Observations about Astro TV
Astro TV started in 2004 with short television programs. It was taken over by an international media concern SBS in 2007 and has since then two hours every morning from 11 to 1. In this show, a psychic gives mini-consultations and makes adverts for the services of other so-called ‘spiritual specialists’ and their tools. Clients can dial in and ask for advices. On the website of astrotv is a list of more than 30 astrologers, mediums etc who can be consulted by telephone or internet.
The first impression is that this divination is a part of the large field of alternative healing, quite commercial. This means that the client has more or less as much power as the provider. The provider, the psychic offers some symbolic information from a secret (or esoteric) source; in this respect she has some preponderance. But she needs the contribution and trust of the client as well. Thus, I am inclined to qualify the power of the psychic as ‘gentle coercion’.
For the gender aspect, the first fact to notice is that more than 80% of the staff of psychics of Astro TV exist of women. Next, I did some anthropological research on the biographies of such psychics and on the personal reception of this profession. From the biographical notes on the website can be deduced, that the female psychics grew up with their special capacities from their youth and that they enjoy their job. However, the men often started with an accident or illness, they met many problems in life, and take their task as a heavy burden. In the description of the male psychic the classical type of the shaman can easily be recognized, but for the women I am still looking for a model (so I would be glad to hear your suggestions).
My last observation refers to the context of this television show. Here we have an international firm, which is also active in other European countries. It offers psychic services which also can be found on local level, with local psychics or centers. So a large network of services, programs, magazines, objects and ideas functions in order to propagate a holistic world view with its related practices.
3. Power
For the power aspect, I tried to apply the theory on religious power of Pierre Bourdieu (1930-2002). Indeed, the Astro psychics impose a holistic habitus on the clients. However, the power of the providers is not great, because they depend on the initiative, money and trust of the clients. They can use some symbolic violence, but they must remain careful. All in all, the power of the psychics seems to be restricted to gentle coercion. They have no strong organization like a church or a hierarchy, only a commercial network.
However, the power of the media and the alternative spiritual milieu on the public is quite influential. They propagate the holistic gospel of a preordained life, a caring or divine Life Force, and special instances which can be manipulated. Here, Bourdieu’s theory is useful, because it makes aware of the similarity of this holistic symbolism with our late modern society, which is directed to individual choices, development and happiness. Next, Bourdieu associates magic with primitive religion. In Astro TV we recognize a type of magical spirituality that is more the successor than the predecessor of traditional church religion.
4. Gender
For the gender aspect, I use some articles of Linda Woodhead. She explains the majority of women in alternative medicine and spirituality from a culture historical approach. The late modern developments of labor participation and anti-conception offered opportunities for many women. But middle and lower-class women remained responsible for the family tasks. After 1980, the various forms of holistic spirituality presented not only appreciation for feminine attentions, but also a field where women can be the hosts. Woodhead points at feminine qualities such as bodily care, connectedness, emotionality, which within spirituality lead to self-esteem and independence. She is well aware that feminine qualities are culturally conditioned. However, she suggests that within holistic spirituality gender roles also can be transformed, because women are in charge and their qualities are recommended as generally human.
Such things can be recognized in Astro TV. Especially corporal symbolism, emotions and independence are important. From my own research, I can add here the aspect of enjoyment: spirituality is funny and light for women. Even a slight transformation of gender roles can be recognized. However, the providers and clients are not mainly white middle-class women, but also women of other classes and colors.
5. Conclusion
From the discussion with Bourdieu I derive the conclusion that spirituality like in Astro TV is an activity which is just partly religion, but also partly secular. The secular part is directed to psychological balance. It becomes religious where personal forces such as angels are invoked for healing a client. Classical approaches of religion like that of Bourdieu are no longer adequate. We are meeting new developments of religion, after the period of the world religions.
My second conclusion is, that the combination of feminine power and holistic spirituality, in short holistic feminine power, has a big cultural influence. It has qualities such as gentle coercion, bodily care, enjoyment, and an optimistic world view. In fact, it operates for a large part in a commercial environment, where firms and entrepreneurs invest in a kind of re-enchantment of the West. This is an exciting and unpredictable development.
Astro TV in Holland: Spirituality, Power, and Gender
1. Introduction
In the Netherlands, every day a television show, called Astro TV, presents two hours of short divinations. The hosts and clients will call this an expression of spirituality, certainly not a religion. It appears as an innocent, commercial service for people with problems, and as an entertainment for the viewers. Thus, the power relations seem to be primarily economic. Next, the gender aspect of this television show seems to be quite feminine, because about three quarters of providers and clients are women. In my paper, I would like to clarify the power and gender questions with the help of two theories from sociology. In my next section, I present some observations on the show and the firm. Next, I go into the power aspect, and after that to the gender aspect. Finally, I come to some conclusions.
2. Observations about Astro TV
Astro TV started in 2004 with short television programs. It was taken over by an international media concern SBS in 2007 and has since then two hours every morning from 11 to 1. In this show, a psychic gives mini-consultations and makes adverts for the services of other so-called ‘spiritual specialists’ and their tools. Clients can dial in and ask for advices. On the website of astrotv is a list of more than 30 astrologers, mediums etc who can be consulted by telephone or internet.
The first impression is that this divination is a part of the large field of alternative healing, quite commercial. This means that the client has more or less as much power as the provider. The provider, the psychic offers some symbolic information from a secret (or esoteric) source; in this respect she has some preponderance. But she needs the contribution and trust of the client as well. Thus, I am inclined to qualify the power of the psychic as ‘gentle coercion’.
For the gender aspect, the first fact to notice is that more than 80% of the staff of psychics of Astro TV exist of women. Next, I did some anthropological research on the biographies of such psychics and on the personal reception of this profession. From the biographical notes on the website can be deduced, that the female psychics grew up with their special capacities from their youth and that they enjoy their job. However, the men often started with an accident or illness, they met many problems in life, and take their task as a heavy burden. In the description of the male psychic the classical type of the shaman can easily be recognized, but for the women I am still looking for a model (so I would be glad to hear your suggestions).
My last observation refers to the context of this television show. Here we have an international firm, which is also active in other European countries. It offers psychic services which also can be found on local level, with local psychics or centers. So a large network of services, programs, magazines, objects and ideas functions in order to propagate a holistic world view with its related practices.
3. Power
For the power aspect, I tried to apply the theory on religious power of Pierre Bourdieu (1930-2002). Indeed, the Astro psychics impose a holistic habitus on the clients. However, the power of the providers is not great, because they depend on the initiative, money and trust of the clients. They can use some symbolic violence, but they must remain careful. All in all, the power of the psychics seems to be restricted to gentle coercion. They have no strong organization like a church or a hierarchy, only a commercial network.
However, the power of the media and the alternative spiritual milieu on the public is quite influential. They propagate the holistic gospel of a preordained life, a caring or divine Life Force, and special instances which can be manipulated. Here, Bourdieu’s theory is useful, because it makes aware of the similarity of this holistic symbolism with our late modern society, which is directed to individual choices, development and happiness. Next, Bourdieu associates magic with primitive religion. In Astro TV we recognize a type of magical spirituality that is more the successor than the predecessor of traditional church religion.
4. Gender
For the gender aspect, I use some articles of Linda Woodhead. She explains the majority of women in alternative medicine and spirituality from a culture historical approach. The late modern developments of labor participation and anti-conception offered opportunities for many women. But middle and lower-class women remained responsible for the family tasks. After 1980, the various forms of holistic spirituality presented not only appreciation for feminine attentions, but also a field where women can be the hosts. Woodhead points at feminine qualities such as bodily care, connectedness, emotionality, which within spirituality lead to self-esteem and independence. She is well aware that feminine qualities are culturally conditioned. However, she suggests that within holistic spirituality gender roles also can be transformed, because women are in charge and their qualities are recommended as generally human.
Such things can be recognized in Astro TV. Especially corporal symbolism, emotions and independence are important. From my own research, I can add here the aspect of enjoyment: spirituality is funny and light for women. Even a slight transformation of gender roles can be recognized. However, the providers and clients are not mainly white middle-class women, but also women of other classes and colors.
5. Conclusion
From the discussion with Bourdieu I derive the conclusion that spirituality like in Astro TV is an activity which is just partly religion, but also partly secular. The secular part is directed to psychological balance. It becomes religious where personal forces such as angels are invoked for healing a client. Classical approaches of religion like that of Bourdieu are no longer adequate. We are meeting new developments of religion, after the period of the world religions.
My second conclusion is, that the combination of feminine power and holistic spirituality, in short holistic feminine power, has a big cultural influence. It has qualities such as gentle coercion, bodily care, enjoyment, and an optimistic world view. In fact, it operates for a large part in a commercial environment, where firms and entrepreneurs invest in a kind of re-enchantment of the West. This is an exciting and unpredictable development.
